BASEBALL: Guilford's Adam Greenberg strikes out in MLB at-bat (video)

Miami Marlins' Adam Greensberg swings at the third strike against the New York Mets during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Miami, Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Miami Marlins' Adam Greensberg swings at the third strike against the New York Mets during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Miami, Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

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Miami Marlins' Adam Greensberg swings at the third strike against the New York Mets during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Miami, Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Miami Marlins' Adam Greensberg swings at the third strike against the New York Mets during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Miami, Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Photo: AP

BASEBALL: Guilford's Adam Greenberg strikes out in MLB at-bat (video)

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MIAMI --The standing ovation had barely subsided when Adam Greenberg saw the second pitch of his major-league career - some seven years and three months after the first.

R.A. Dickey's patented knuckleball called strike, drawing boos from the larger-then-normal crowd of 29,709 at Marlins Park. Dickey then offered another knuckler which Greenberg swung at and missed, then another, and another swing and miss, Dickey's 230th strikeout victim of the season and surely the only one to receive another standing 'O', along with cheers from his teammates and a hug from Jose Reyes, on his way back to the dugout.

Greenberg had toiled in outposts from Jacksonville to Bridgeport over much of the past seven years, hoping for one more big-league at-bat. He finally got his chance on Tuesday night, pinch-hitting for Marlins left fielder Bryan Petersen to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning.

And though his celebrated at-bat was a short one (33 seconds, to be exact) against Dickey, the likely NL Cy Young winner, it didn't make his story any less uplifting.

"It was magical," said Greenberg. "The energy that was in the stadium is something I've never experience in my life, and I don't know if I'll ever experience it again ... It was awesome."

It was Greenberg's first at-bat since being hit in the head by the first pitch he ever saw as a major leaguer - a 92 MPH Valerio de los Santos fastball - on July 9, 2005, while with the Cubs against the Marlins at Dolphins Stadium. The Guilford product battled post-concussion symptoms, vertigo and other ailments in the ensuing years and bounced around the minors (including four seasons with the Bridgeport Bluefish) before getting this one-day opportunity with the Marlins.

"I'm very surprised how this has meant so much to baseball, and people in general," Marlins manager Ozzie Gullen, who doesn't surprise easily, said before the game.

The Marlins won the game 4-3 on Donovan Solano's bases-loaded single in the 11th inning. Greenberg was the first player to hop over the dugout fence and embrace Solano, his teammate for one day, at second base.

And when it was over, Marlins batting coach Eduardo Perez, who grew up in the game with his Hall of Fame father Tony Perez before going on to his own playing and coaching career, saddled up next to Greenberg in the clubhouse.

"I grew up in this game, from when I was a kid until now," Perez told him, "and that single moment was one of the greatest moments I've ever experienced on a baseball field."

Earlier in the day, Greenberg signed a one-day contract with the Marlins. It was worth $2,700. In his final season with the Bluefish in 2011, he earned $2,200 a month.

His new teammates tried to make Greenberg's arrival as routine as possible. He went through a rookie initiation ritual before the game that involved singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," some sort of dance routine with Miami reliever Heath Bell and a red, white and blue Speedo.

"I was completely humiliated, but it was awesome," Greenberg said. "They treated me like I a member of their team, like they would anyone else."

Still, there was nothing routine about this day. Throngs of reporters and cameramen followed Greenberg's every move during pregame stretch and batting practice. About 50 extra media members - including the 'Today Show', CNN, FoxNews and the MLBNetwork - were credentialed for the game, according to a team spokesman.

Greenberg he said he felt everyone in the ballpark rooting for him to get a hit - even the Mets.

"Maybe not Dickey," he noted. "He came after me like I expected him to, like a big-league hitter. He beat me tonight, but I expect to have another opportunity to face him."

Indeed, Greenberg is hoping for an invitation to spring training over the winter, perhaps with the Marlins.

Greenberg had numerous family and friends in attendance. His parents, Mark and Wendy, brothers Max and Sam, sisters Keri and Loren, wife Lindsay, aunts, uncles and cousins made the trip from Connecticut and all over.

His parents and siblings were at that fateful game in 2005, as well. The thunderous ovation Adam received as he walked to the plate Tuesday night brought tears to their eyes.

"That was pretty cool, pretty special," said Mark Greenberg. "It's a culmination of what this whole thing is - a great opportunity, a great gesture. He's a great kid, he's handled this really well. Everybody, I think, really related to him. Everyone enjoyed it. It was a great moment."

That Adam struck out hardly mattered to the family, though they were happy he didn't go down looking.

"(Striking out) isn't even an issue," said Lindsay, who's known Adam since fifth grade and is a fellow Guilford High graduate. "It's an uplifting story in general. Don't give up - that's the true meaning of his story."

Adam Greenberg never gave up. And after seven years of toiling from West Tennessee to Jacksonville, Wichita to Bridgeport, Adam Greenberg's hard work paid off Tuesday night at Marlins Park.

"More than anything, I'm so proud of him," Mark Greenberg said. "He's worked so hard, and he's never stopped working, never stopped smiling. The whole family is just incredibly proud of him".

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